Why are you running?

I’m running for office because I’ve always felt a deep responsibility to serve my country and stand up for people who are too often ignored by those in power. Through my work as a cancer research scientist and my service in the Illinois Army National Guard, I’ve seen firsthand how broken systems (healthcare, housing, and our economy) fail working families while billionaires and special interests thrive. I’m running because politics should be about improving people’s lives, not protecting corporate donors. I believe government should be a tool for the working class: lowering costs, guaranteeing healthcare as a human right, and investing in our communities instead of endless war and corporate greed. I’m not running to climb a political ladder - I’m running to return power to the people who actually keep this country running.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing my constituents is the rising cost of living. At the center of that crisis are healthcare, housing, and wages that haven’t kept up with reality. Too many families are one medical emergency away from financial ruin, spending unsustainable portions of their income on rent, and stuck in jobs that don’t pay enough to live on, even while working full-time. I will address this by fighting for Medicare for All so healthcare is guaranteed as a right, not a privilege tied to employment. I support large-scale federal investment in affordable and social housing, stronger tenant protections, and using federal dollars to build homes where people actually need them. I will also push for major investments in infrastructure (roads, bridges, broadband, water systems, and clean energy) that create good union jobs and revitalize rural towns and small cities. Finally, I will fight for a true living wage, indexed to inflation, and stronger labor protections so working people share in the wealth they create. These issues are inseparable, and addressing them together is how we build a more stable, dignified future for our communities.

What is one unique challenge your district faces and how do you plan to address it?

One unique challenge facing our district is the divide between larger population centers and the many rural towns and small cities that have been systematically left behind. Too often, federal investment bypasses these communities, leading to hospital closures, aging infrastructure, declining job opportunities, and population loss. This isn’t a failure of the people who live here - it’s the result of policy choices that concentrate resources in a few places while ignoring the rest. I plan to address this by using my office aggressively to direct federal dollars where they’re needed most. That means fighting to keep rural hospitals and clinics open, expanding broadband so people can work and learn from anywhere, and prioritizing infrastructure and clean energy projects that create good local jobs. I will also ensure that small towns and local governments have the technical support they need to actually access federal grants, not just compete with well-resourced cities. Bridging this divide isn’t about pitting communities against one another. Instead, it’s about building an economy that works for the whole district and ensures no community is written off as expendable.

What do you think federal immigration reform should look like?

Federal immigration reform should be rooted in human dignity, due process, and keeping families together - not fear, punishment, or political theater. Our current system is cruel, ineffective, and designed to criminalize people whose only “crime” is seeking safety or opportunity. I support abolishing ICE and replacing it with a civil immigration system that restores the core functions once handled by the former INS, focused on lawful processing, case management, and services, rather than militarized enforcement. Immigration enforcement should never operate like a domestic police force, and no agency should be allowed to detain or deport people without meaningful judicial oversight. Real reform must also include greatly expanded pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are already part of our communities - people who work, pay taxes, raise families, and contribute every day. That means permanent protections for Dreamers, an earned path to legal status and citizenship, and an end to mass detention and for-profit detention centers. A just immigration system strengthens our economy, upholds our values, and recognizes that immigrants are not a problem to be solved, but neighbors and coworkers who deserve rights, stability, and respect.

How should Congress address the rising costs of health care?

Congress must treat health care as a public good, not a profit center. The rising cost of care is driven by corporate middlemen, price gouging by pharmaceutical companies, and a system that ties access to employment instead of need. As long as private insurers and drug companies are allowed to extract massive profits, patients will keep paying more and getting less. I support Medicare for All to eliminate premiums, deductibles, and surprise medical bills while using the federal government’s bargaining power to lower costs across the system. Congress should also allow direct negotiation of prescription drug prices, cap out-of-pocket costs, and expand access to generic medications. We must invest in primary care, mental health services, and rural hospitals to reduce long-term costs and improve outcomes, while ending medical debt and stopping aggressive collection practices that punish people for getting sick. Addressing rising healthcare costs requires political courage, but it will save lives, strengthen our economy, and give families the stability they deserve.

What approach would you take on tax policy and what is your top priority?

Our tax system is upside down. Working people pay a larger share of their income in taxes than billionaires and large corporations, while the wealthiest Americans use loopholes to avoid paying what they owe. That isn’t accidental - it’s the result of decades of policy choices written by and for the donor class. My approach to tax policy is simple: those who benefit the most from our economy should contribute their fair share, and tax policy should be used to improve people’s lives, not reward speculation and greed. My top priority is closing loopholes that allow corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals to hide income, avoid capital gains taxes, and shift profits offshore. I support a more progressive tax code, including higher marginal rates on extreme wealth, taxing capital gains at the same rate as wages, and cracking down on corporate tax avoidance. The revenue should be used to fund healthcare, housing, education, and infrastructure, which are all investments that strengthen the economy from the bottom up and give working families real relief.

Is the House currently using its oversight powers in the way it should be? What areas of government need more or less oversight?

No. The House has too often treated oversight as a partisan weapon or a source of cable news soundbites, rather than a constitutional responsibility to protect the public and ensure laws are carried out fairly and effectively. Oversight should be about accountability, transparency, and preventing abuse. Congress needs stronger oversight of corporate power and federal agencies that regulate it, including defense contractors, Wall Street, private equity, and the pharmaceutical industry. Taxpayer dollars should not be funneled into waste, fraud, price gouging, or endless wars without meaningful scrutiny. The House should also exercise real oversight over immigration enforcement, surveillance programs, and federal law enforcement to ensure due process and civil rights are protected. At the same time, Congress should stop using oversight to intimidate educators, scientists, public health officials, or civil servants for doing their jobs or producing evidence-based research. Effective oversight means asking tough questions where power is concentrated and leaving professionals free to serve the public without political interference.

What is the most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country and what role should the House play in dealing with it?

The most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country is the continued expansion of U.S. militarism without clear objectives, democratic accountability, or regard for human cost. Endless military engagements, unchecked arms sales, and blank-check funding have destabilized regions, cost countless lives, and diverted resources away from urgent needs at home. The House has a critical constitutional role to play by reasserting Congress’s authority over war and peace. That means enforcing the War Powers Resolution, ending unauthorized military actions, and requiring meaningful debate and votes before the use of force. No administration, of either party, should be allowed to wage war without accountability to the people. I believe the House must also prioritize diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and international cooperation over military escalation. That includes cutting the defense budget by at least $100 billion, rigorous oversight of defense spending, auditing the Pentagon, and ensuring foreign policy decisions are guided by human rights and international law, rather than the interests of weapons manufacturers or geopolitical posturing. A foreign policy rooted in restraint, diplomacy, and accountability makes us safer, strengthens global stability, and reflects our values far better than permanent war.

How do you view AI and the role the government should play in its regulation?

Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to improve people’s lives, but only if it is governed intentionally and in the public interest. Left unchecked, AI risks deepening inequality, undermining workers, distorting education, and accelerating environmental harm, all while concentrating power in the hands of a few corporations. I believe the federal government has a responsibility to set clear guardrails. AI should be used to reduce drudgery and increase quality of life, including helping transition toward shorter workweeks without loss of pay, rather than being used to justify layoffs, surveillance, or wage suppression. Workers and educators must have a seat at the table in shaping how these tools are deployed. Congress should regulate AI to protect jobs, privacy, and civil rights; require transparency in high-risk systems; limit its use in policing and surveillance; and account for its environmental footprint, including energy and water use. Innovation cannot come at the expense of human dignity. The goal should be technology that serves people, not people forced to adapt to technology designed solely for profit.

How would you describe the current state of your party and what changes or new approaches would you like to see your party adopt?

I’m deeply concerned about the current state of the Democratic Party. Too often, party leadership is reactive instead of bold, cautious instead of clear, and more focused on managing donors than delivering results for working people. That disconnect has left many voters feeling unheard, disillusioned, and skeptical that politics can improve their lives. At the same time, I’m genuinely optimistic about the party’s future. Across the country, we’re seeing a growing movement of progressive, working-class candidates who are refusing corporate PAC money, organizing at the grassroots level, and speaking honestly about the economic realities people face. That energy is real, and it’s coming from the bottom up. I believe the Democratic Party must recommit to being a party of the working class by embracing universal healthcare, bold housing and climate investments, strong labor rights, and an unapologetic commitment to economic justice. The path forward isn’t triangulation or moderation for its own sake; it’s clarity, courage, and delivering material improvements in people’s lives. Electing more progressive candidates is how we rebuild trust and win durable majorities.